Exhauster baffle
AssigneeSika Technology AG
InventorsMichael C. Niezur, Robert B. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exhauster baffle is provided that may be used to prohibit fluid flow through a cavity except when a pressure on one side of the exhauster baffle is greater than a pressure on another side of the exhauster baffle. The exhauster baffle includes a body portion defining an opening, a sealer disposed on the body portion, and a flap disposed over the opening for regulating fluid flow through the opening. In one embodiment, the flap exposes the opening of the body portion to allow fluid to flow through the cavity when the pressure on one side of the exhauster baffle greater than the pressure on another side of the baffle to equalize pressure.
Claims17
An assembly, comprising:
- a frame that defines an internal cavity;
- and
- an exhauster baffle extending across a cross-section of the internal cavity so as to divide the internal cavity into two portions, wherein the exhauster baffle comprises:
- a generally planar body portion defining an opening therethrough and having an integrally formed wall that is substantially perpendicular to the generally planar body portion and that surrounds the opening;
- a noise-reducing, thermally expansible sealer disposed on a perimeter of said body portion and configured to adhere said body portion to an internal surface of the structural frame;
- and
- a flap extending over said opening that is configured to open and close to regulate fluid flow through the opening;
- wherein the integrally formed wall prevents the sealer from coming into contact with the flap when the sealer expands.
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame that defines an internal cavity;
- and
- an exhauster baffle extending across a cross-section of the internal cavity so as to divide the internal cavity into two portions, wherein the exhauster baffle comprises:
- a generally planar body portion defining an opening therethrough and having an integrally formed wall that is substantially perpendicular to the generally planar body portion and that surrounds the opening;
- a noise-reducing, thermally expansible sealer disposed on a perimeter of said body portion and configured to adhere said body portion to an external surface;
- and
- a flap extending over said opening that is configured to open and close to regulate fluid flow through said opening;
- wherein said integrally formed wall prevents said sealer from coming into contact with said flap when said sealer expands.
An assembly comprising:
- a frame that defines an internal cavity;
- and
- an exhauster baffle extending across a cross-section of the internal cavity so as to divide the internal cavity into two portions, wherein the exhauster baffle comprises:
- means for sealing a body portion to at least one inner surface of a cavity;
- means for regulating fluid flow through an opening in the body portion, wherein said means for regulating fluid flow is integrally formed with a flap housing disposed on the body portion;
- and
- means for preventing said sealing means from coming into contact with said fluid flow regulating means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.